The California lemon law, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, is a law here in California that provides legal protection for consumers who purchase or lease vehicles that turn out to be “lemons.” Under the law, a “lemon” is defined as a vehicle that has a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle, and that is covered under the manufacturer’s express warranty. If a vehicle is found to be a lemon, the manufacturer is required to either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price to the consumer.
The California lemon law applies to new and certain used vehicles, and covers a wide range of defects, including mechanical problems, defects in materials or workmanship, and problems with paint or rust. The law also provides for a specific time frame for the manufacturer to repair any issues with the vehicle before it can be considered a lemon.
What are your options if you have purchased a lemon in California?
If you have purchased a lemon in California, you have several legal options available to you. Some of these options include:
- Notifying the manufacturer: You can notify the manufacturer of the problem with your vehicle, and give them an opportunity to repair the issue. If the problem is not fixed within a reasonable number of attempts, or if the problem is considered a serious safety defect, you may be entitled to a replacement or refund under the lemon law. If they are giving you the runaround or trying to avoid handling the issue, that’s when you should contact an attorney.
- Small Claims Court: You may file a lawsuit in small claims court if the amount of damages you are seeking is less than $10,000. However, this is not ideal, obviously. You shouldn’t have to deal with small claims if you got stuck with a lemon.
- Hire an attorney: It may be wise to speak to a California lemon law attorney who knows exactly how to handle these situations. Don’t just speak to any law firm. Look for one that specializes in lemon law cases. You can find attorneys that specialize in California lemon law listed below in our directory.
Areas Served
| Los Angeles |
| San Diego |
| San Jose |
| San Francisco |
| Fresno |
| Sacramento |
| Long Beach |
| Oakland |
| Bakersfield |
| Anaheim |
| Stockton |
| Riverside |
| Santa Ana |
| Irvine |
| Chula Vista |
| Fremont |
| Santa Clarita |
| San Bernardino |
| Modesto |
| Moreno Valley |
| Fontana |
| Oxnard |
| Huntington Beach |
| Glendale |
| Elk Grove |
| Ontario |
| Santa Rosa |
| Rancho Cucamonga |
| Oceanside |
| Garden Grove |
| Lancaster |
| Palmdale |
| Salinas |
| Hayward |
| Corona |
| Sunnyvale |
| Roseville |
| Escondido |
| Pomona |
| Torrance |
| Visalia |
| Fullerton |
| Orange |
| Victorville |
| Pasadena |
| Santa Clara |
| Simi Valley |
| Thousand Oaks |
| Vallejo |
| Concord |
| Clovis |
| Fairfield |
| Berkeley |
| Richmond |
| Carlsbad |
| Antioch |
| Murrieta |
| Downey |
| Temecula |
| Costa Mesa |
| Ventura |
| Santa Maria |
| West Covina |
| Jurupa Valley |
| El Monte |
| Menifee |
| El Cajon |
| Burbank |
| Inglewood |
| Rialto |
| Vacaville |
| Chico |
| San Mateo |
| Daly City |
| Hesperia |
| Norwalk |
| Vista |
| Tracy |
| San Marcos |
| Compton |
| Carson |
| Redding |
| Chino |
| Mission Viejo |
| South Gate |
| Santa Monica |
| Hemet |
| Indio |
| Westminster |
| Merced |
| San Leandro |
| Santa Barbara |
| Citrus Heights |
| San Ramon |
| Livermore |
| Hawthorne |
| Manteca |
| Lake Forest |
| Whittier |
| Newport Beach |